Palest Bloom
by J. Maria
Summary: 100 drabbles and ficlets featuring the pairing of Millicent BulstrodeNeville Longbottom done for potterverse100. HBP SPOILERS
1. There Are Worse Things I Could Be

Title: There Are Worse Things I Could Be  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 01. Pureblood  
Spoilers: HBP  
Note: Set post HBP, so absence of certain main characters at Hogwarts.  
Words: 159

_**There Are Worse Things I Could Be**_

Millicent Bulstrode wasn't wonderful, charming, or personable. She wasn't traditionally beautiful, delicate, or dainty. She wasn't a Gryffindor, but some didn't count that as a disservice actually.

Of course, that group didn't include Neville Longbottom who was currently observing the Slytherin seventh year girl. The said girl who was in return glaring at her textbook. He half wished that Luna, Ginny or even Hermione were still around to make this easier for him. Millicent made a noise that resembled a growl and slammed the book shut. She exhaled roughly and shut her eyes.

Neville frowned and preceded to jerk back when her lids popped open and narrowed on him. Better sooner than later.

"What do you want, Longbottom?" She snapped.

"Wouldyouliketotaketheprefectshiftwithmetonight?" Neville babbled.

"What?"

"The prefect shift?"

"Are you nervous, Longbottom?" Millicent frowned. "It's a prefect shift, not a bloody date."

"D-date?" Neville blushed.

"Don't worry, Longbottom, you pass all the requirements."

"Requirements?"

"You're pureblooded. It could be worse."


	2. I Don't Need a Tutor

Title: I Don't Need a Tutor  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 02: Classes  
Spoilers: HBP  
Note: Set post HBP, so absence of certain main characters at Hogwarts.  
Words: 183

_**I Don't Need a Tutor**_

After Dumbledore's death, registration sunk to all time lows at Hogwarts. Many of the younger children had been pulled out, along with majority of the Slytherin house. A handful of seventh and sixth years remained, and Millicent Bulstrode had been shot up to head prefect for her house. The children that were here at Hogwarts either had no where else to go or were there for safe keeping. Millicent fell into the former of the two groups. The skeleton crew of teachers who had little to contribute to the actual fighting remained behind to tend to the children.

Which was why all of the remaining seventh years were crowded into the Great Hall trying to calm children who ranged in age from seventeen to two. Millicent, Neville, and a handful of others were in charge of keeping everyone on task and in line. Traditional classes, replaced by lessons in survival. Practical and protective spells took precedence over Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures.

It wasn't something they would ever be graded on. Both senior students had no problem with that at all.


	3. For Want Of

Title: For Want Of  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 03: Spells  
Spoilers: HBP  
Note: Set post HBP, so absence of certain main characters at Hogwarts.  
Words: 210

_**For Want Of**_

"They _really_ picked the wrong students to put in charge," Millicent yelled at Neville as rubble started to fall around them.

The attack had been a surprise, and neither one of them expected Harry to draw the battle back to Hogsmeade. The two seventh years hadn't been prepared for attack and had been caught in the Great Hall. Luckily, they'd evacuated most of the younger students to the dungeons. The teachers had been the first ones on the front lines, and Neville had been prepared to follow them.

Millicent hadn't. She was supposed to stay with the younger students and keep their heads level. Not cowering in the Great Hall, and definitely not attempting to keep the ceiling from caving in on them.

"Why do you say that?" Neville snapped back, popping up to cast a hex at an on-coming charge of Death Eaters.

"Guess I failed to mention Charms was one of my worst subjects?" Millicent replied, aiming for the crumbling buttresses.

"Well, I've seen you float a feather, how much harder can it be?"

"Stone buttresses are falling around us, and you're _seriously_ asking that?"

"Right," Neville grunted. "Good news, though."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"You can let that buttress go," Neville said, pulling her back through the doorway.


	4. Small Sacrifice

Title: Small Sacrifice  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 04: Clothes  
Spoilers: post-HBP  
Note: Every girl has a shirt she wears when she wants to feel good about herself...  
Words: 207

_**Small Sacrifice**_

Millicent was ready to kill someone in a very slow and torturous way. She stared at the remnants of her shirt and saw red. Well, she actually did see red - as in there were various bloodstains and rust stains. Plus there were muck and mud stains, not to mention the shirt's current near-transparency.

"Millicent, we haven't got all day!" Neville hissed, pulling her down beside him.

"The bloody bastards _ruined _my favorite shirt!" Millicent screeched. "This - _this _is my favorite shirt!"

"Is there a point? We've got buildings and people falling around us and you're upset about a stupid shirt?" Neville frowned. He wasn't following her insane girl logic at the moment.

"I look good in this shirt! It's my I-need-a-pick-me-up shirt! I look like a girl in it, and it shows off my curves," Millicent cried huskily.

Neville glanced over at her. Her shirt was plastered to her skin, and he had to blink a few times before looking away. He had to admit she had a point, it did make her look good. He cleared his throat.

"Merlin! There are a couple of cleaning and repair spells I know. When we get out of here, I'll fix your bloody shirt," Neville said quietly.


	5. Nice PickMeUp

Title: Nice Pick-Me-Up  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 05: Chocolate  
Spoilers: post-HBP  
Note: Chocolate, melts in your hand _and _your mouth.  
Words: 183

_**Nice Pick-Me-Up**_

Neville woke up with an ache in his shoulders and a kink in his neck. He also woke up to find Millicent's head resting on his chest, her damp shirt clinging to his and her hair matted to face. The building had stopped shaking, which was a good thing. Meant the fighting had moved on.

"It stopped an hour ago. I didn't want to wake you," Millicent said tiredly.

"Thought you were sleeping," Neville replied.

"Dozed a bit, not much though," Millicent pushed herself up and away from him. "I did some scrounging around when you were asleep. Came up with a dozen or so chocolate bars, but not much more."

She reached behind her shoulder to the broken pantry shelf just above their heads. Shiny aluminum foiled chocolate bars picked up in the fading light. She handed him two of the bars, her fingers brushing his. Millicent looked down at her hands.

"Sorry if they're a bit melted. I had to hold on to them for a while before I spotted the shelf."

"That's okay, I like melted chocolate," Neville said thickly.


	6. Options

Title: Options  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 06: Other Schools  
Spoilers: post-HBP  
Words: 219

_**Options**_

After the war, her options were wide open to her. She could go to any other school and finish her seventh year out in a proper magic school. Her years at Hogwarts had been riddled with death and mayhem, pain and suffering, but there had been happy moments of joy amidst the sorrow.

But Millicent didn't want to go to any other school. Hogwarts was as much home to her now as the house she'd been raised in. She stood on the steps of the ruined castle, watching as the remaining teachers and special construction wizards and witches worked to repair the castle.

The Golden Trio, looking worse for wear stood off to the side, talking to Ginny, Lovegood and Longbottom. Millicent stood solidly by herself, her cloak ruffled by the strong spring winds.

"You going to finish out your term here?" Neville asked as he came alongside her, blocking the wind for her.

"Well, I've looked at my options, and I've little choice." She had plenty of choices, just none that she cared to take advantage of. Not that she was going to tell him.

"That's good, I guess."

"Oy, Neville!" Ron called, waving him back to the other Gryffs.

"You should go," Millicent said tightly.

"Yeah. I guess I'll see you in a few weeks then?"

"Yeah."


	7. Mail

Title: Mail  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 07: Quidditch  
Spoilers: post-HBP  
Words: 278

_**Mail**_

He was the one she instinctively went to when the owl brought the heavy envelope to the remains of the Slytherin table the morning before the last day of their seventh year. The Golden Trio and the Weasley girl were near him, watching her as she clumsily made her way over to him. Ron and Ginny had stopped talking, and Hermione had tensed up a bit. Harry glanced over at her, and Millicent could have sworn he'd smiled.

"Neville, can I have a word?"  
"Sure Millie," Neville smiled.  
"In private?" She frowned at the look Ron was wearing.  
"All right."

She led the way out of the Great Hall and shoved the envelope over to him. Neville frowned, reading the sprawling script on the missive.

"For some reason, I can't open it," Millicent gave a shuddering laugh. "And I figured, considering everything that you'd have enough courage to do the job."  
"And that it would give you someone to hit in case it's not the answer your hoping for?" Neville smiled.  
"You would be the most understanding about it."

Neville carefully opened the envelope, his eyes scanning the top letter. He frowned, and Millicent could feel herself fidgeting.

"What does it say?"  
"They're willing to hold a special tryouts for you," Neville grinned. "Looks like they need an ace beater on their team after all. Congratulations, Mil."  
"No!" He handed her the letter, and Millicent read it. She laughed, tears stinging her eyes. She pulled Neville in for a hug, their first since the last battle. She'd forgotten how it felt to be hugged.  
"You deserve this, Mil. And they'd be idiots not to give you a spot."


	8. Defensive Posturing

Title: Defensive Posturing  
Author: jmaria  
Rating: FR15  
Claim: Millicent/Neville  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns them, I'm merely exploring the facets  
Pairing: Millicent/Neville  
Prompt: 08: Squibs  
Spoilers: post-HBP, AU Deathly Hollows.  
Words: 276

**__**

Defensive Posturing

It still stung sometimes to hear what people really thought of him. A lot of people still thought he'd never amount to a real wizard, wind up a squib like Filch. His uncle still teased him about it, and he'd thought that after everything that it didn't matter if he wasn't as powerful as his parents had been.

"I just don't think it's normal," Ron had hissed loudly as Neville made his way back to the table.

"Ron, just drop it, will you?" Ginny snapped, her eyes spotting Neville first.

"The obvious utter lack of magic - what possible attraction could there be other than -"

"Ron, shut up!" Harry snapped. He too had seen Neville approaching.

"I think Ron's got a point though, Harry," Hermione argued. "I think she's just trying to -"

"Who's trying to do what now?" Neville said too brightly, plopping down next to Ginny.

"Nobody," Harry and Ginny blurted at the same time.

"And that's not a dead give away that you've been talking about me," Neville snorted. Ginny gave him an apologetic look. "I know you were talking about me. I rather hoped you'd have at least been honest about it."

"We weren't talking about you, mate," Ron babbled.

"Just something concerning me, yeah?" Neville asked a bit harshly.

"They were talking about me, not you," Neville didn't have to look around to know it was Millicent. "Though, they were a bit thick to not realize I was sitting behind them."

"We -" Harry started to apologize.

"I'm not a squib," Millicent snapped. "Not all of us can be wicked good at spell casting. Most of us settle for average."


End file.
